In Not So Holy Matrimony
by Mirder Mystery
Summary: A series of oneshots invisioning the many and varying ways Booth might ask Brennan to marry him.
1. The Vow To Love And Protect

**Hey now. No dissin'. I've been gone a while. Life got in the way, okay? Just started a new school year and I'm the new kid. Joy. But, anywayss. Here's a new story for you all. **

Booth held the ring in his hand, tucked safely away in his pocket. He was unsure why he had bought it. She had been very elaborate on the fact that she would not marry him. It had hurt, certainly, to hear that come from her. Perhaps he had just thought that, presented with an actual, tangible ring, she would reconsider. He was scared. They'd been together for years, and friends for so much longer. And this was where it all came down to. This was the deciding moment.

He flipped the box over in his hand again. Looking across the table, he was captured by the ocean of her eyes. He swam through them, desperate for land and at the same time more than content to simply drown in her.

The gaze they shared was intimate, familiar. It was the answer. The answer to whatever insecurities and fears had been massacring his psyche. He needed to ask her. Even if she refused, which was a very real and painful possibility, he would have taken the chance. He wanted the chance. Even if it broke him. Even if it murdered him. He wanted it. _So bad. _

He wanted to begin somewhere special. But the only thing he could think of was... "Bones. I, uh, I'm going to ask you something. And I don't know whether you're going to like it or not. But…"

"Well, cough it out, Booth."

Booth chuckled. "Spit it out, Bones. It's 'spit it out'." He took the box out and put it in front of her. He wanted the chance, of that he was certain. But, when considering the chance, he hadn't predicted how utterly vulnerable he would feel, having her holding the navy, velvet box in her hands. He hadn't wanted to get down on one knee, for two reasons. The first being that he didn't know if that would be too much tradition for her. The second being…Well, he was vulnerable enough, as it was. Being on the ground would only heighten that. He looked down at his hands as he spoke. "Look, Bones, I _know_ that you said no. But…Just…If you ever want it. If you ever even think about wanting it. I just want you to know that I want it, too."

Brennan stroked the ring gently with two, pale fingers. And Booth would have given anything to know her thoughts. Until she spoke them, that was. "Booth, over half of marriages end in divorce."

Booth gulped. "Ours won't."

"How do you know?"

Booth decided to take a different approach. "Do you want to stay with me for the rest of your life?"

"Yes."

"Then why should it matter whether we're married or not? If we're going to be together anyway, why won't you marry me?"

"Booth, marriage is an archaic institution left over from-"

"Spare me the lecture, Bones. Please. Just tell me. Without the anthropological mumbo jumbo." He waited a long time. He waited until his entire being burned with the acid of the rejection he felt he knew would be served.

"I don't know if I'm capable of marriage, Booth. I can't do what you're asking."

Booth's heart dropped a hundred floors to the soles of his feet. "What am I asking, Bones?"

This seemed to stump her. "You...Marriage implies that I would quit my job. Make you dinner. Have children. And while I'll willingly do the last two, I will _not_ quit the Jeffersonian. I am a woman with a successful career and that simply does not fit into marriage."

"Bones..." He gave a humorless chuckle. "Bones, that's not what marriage is."

"Yes it is! That is exactly what marriage is. In the Catholic faith especially, which you are a member of."

"Yeah, Bones, I'm Catholic. But that doesn't mean I want you to quit your job and pop out a hundred kids! I mean, do I want a baby girl with your blue eyes and auburn curls and both of our hard heads combined? Yes. Of course I do. But that's not what marriage is about. Marriage is about two people vowing to always have each others back. Marriage is...Marriage is about love, Bones. We can make our marriage into anything we want it to be."

Brennan bit her lip in concentration. "Booth...don't we already have that?"

"Don't we already have what?"

"The vow to protect and love."

Booth smiled for the first time since he'd asked her. "Yeah, Bones. 'Course we do."

Brennan returned his smile and heard his gasp as she slid the very pretty diamond onto her finger.

**What do you think? I'll probably do about ten of these...unless I get feedback asking for more. Drop me a review. I might need some suggestions for how these are going to go. This one wasn't very unique. But maybe the others might be. Your thoughts and questions are _always_ appreciated. Love Always, Mirder :]**


	2. Thinking Is A Very Good Thing

**Don't get used to this kind of thing. I don't usually post two chapters in two days. But I got such an amazing response that I thought whatever. I'll do it. Besides, it was a particularly boring day at school today and I just worked on it in all my classes and edited when I got home. So...if I fail that Latin test tomorrow...it's all on you guys. xD Not really. Haha. I'm glad I did it. :] **

Booth had, somehow, in a way he would never understand, convinced Brennan to attend mass with him. Under the condition that she would keep her mouth shut, mind you. But she was there and Booth could think of two moments that won over this one, as far as his happiness was concerned. She was in a dress, not that that was anything unusual. But her pale pink heels were definitely something he had never imagined her wearing. They accented her ivory skin and the flowing dress she wore in a way that made him want to simply lose himself in her. Angela had obviously helped her with picking it out, but that didn't matter. The fact that she had wanted to do this for him…it made his day.

Father Tom granted them to share Christ's peace with those around them and Booth reached down to kiss his son's cheek, chuckling at the resistance typical with his Parker's age. Then he turned to Brennan and just gazed into her blue eyes. He leaned in and kissed her, sparks flying at even so much as that innocent touch.

Maybe it was the atmosphere of God's house. Maybe it was the sentimentality of her outfit. Maybe it was just something he had been dreaming of for far too long. But he let it slip. He whispered, in a voice that no one but her would hear, "Marry me, Bones."

Her eyes went wide and her gasp was probably audible to the whole church. She looked like she wanted to run. But he held onto her and, to his surprise, she leaned into his chest and, against his shirt, replied, "Can we talk later, Booth?"

_She didn't say no._ It was a mantra in his head, shouting so loud he was sure even God heard it. She could say no, he knew. But she hadn't done it immediately. She would think about it for the rest of church, of that he was certain. But he couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing.

After church, they had to take Parker home to Rebecca. And when they got home, Brennan sat on his lap and they just sat in silence for a while. Each of them thinking about that one sentence that he was beginning to wonder if he should have said.

Finally, Booth spoke. "Look, Bones. I, uh, I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that. Don't worry about it. I'm not going anywhere."

"No, Booth. I am going to worry about it and the idea that my worrying would cease simply because you tell it to is quite ludicrous."

"Well then give me an answer, Bones! Because the way you won't talk to me is kind of giving me a clue to what your answer is."

"I don't know what that means."

He sighed. "It means that you not answering makes me think you're not going to."

"Of course I'm going to answer, Booth! I just needed time to rationalize my thoughts and compartmentalize my emotions."

Booth could have sank back into the couch in defeat right then. She'd been thinking, alright. And it definitely wouldn't be a good thing.

"Booth." She ran her hand to the back of his neck and cupped his nape in an ultimate act of tenderness. "Yes," she breathed.

**You know what would really make my day when I come home tomorrow with my F in my hands? A gazillion reviews from you guys. Hehe. Love Always, Mirder. (insert heart here)**

**Also, the link to her dress, if your interested in the visual, is posted on my profile. :]**


	3. Beautifully Astounding

**I DIDN'T FAILLL. :D Haha. But I did get a C. I hope she doesn't make my mom sign it...That wouldn't be good. Aw well. Here's a third person perspective on our favorite star-crossed lovers. x) **

Abby had been working all day at the diner. It was late, and she wanted to get home to her kid. Just as she was closing up, _they _came walking through the doors. Of course, they were always the last customers of the day, and she often wondered what kind of jobs they held that kept them out so late. But they were very nice tippers and always amusing in what they talked about. It wasn't as if she would tell them it was closing time. Although…she would probably need a cold shower after their visit.

They walked in and she went over to their table. "Hi there. My name's Abby and I'll be your server tonight. Can I get you the usual?" The man nodded and thanked her, and she walked away.

They had obviously been in one of their arguments before walking in, and at the first sentence of renewing it, Abby could tell she would _definitely_ be needing a cold shower tonight.

"I don't understand why you are so vehemently against my discussing our sex life with Angela."

"_Bones! _Not. Here."

"But Booth I'm trying to understand why the subject makes you so uncomfortable. It's not as if I'm complaining to Angela. Quite the opposite, actually."

"Bones. Seriously, not here. Not now."

"There is no reason why now is not the proper time to discuss this."

"Yeah. There is."

"What might it be, then?"

"Because I want to ask you something. And it's kind of important."

"The way you are saying that makes me think you've already assumed it is something that will upset me."

The man nodded and sighed. "I want to marry you, Bones."

Woah. Abby had not seen that one coming. Of all the important questions to ask the woman who sat in front of him, Abby had never anticipated he would ask that one.

"That's not a question." _What?_ He just asked her to marry him, and that was her response? Abby was astounded. That was another thing she would never have anticipated.

"Huh? What?" It seemed the man was more astounded than Abby. He hadn't been expecting such rudeness either.

"I said that's not a question. You said you had a question for me. I'd like for you to ask it." Ohh. Abby knew her game. But it seemed that the man didn't. The woman wanted him to _ask_. Abby could see the draw of that. The man had never asked her, he had only stated that he wanted to marry her. Maybe this woman was more sentimental than her partner gave her credit for.

"Bones…" He was weary, of course. The woman he very obviously loved, who he had just proposed to, had replied correcting his grammar. Abby was sure anyone would be weary after that.

"Ask me, Booth."

"Alright, Bones. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

Abby could have cheered. She could have jumped up and down. These two, whose names she did not even know, had been circling each other for years. _Finally._ The man leaned over and kissed the woman's lips. Gently. Tenderly. Beautifully. And it was astounding.

**I want to make something clear. I post when things are ready. I don't hold back because of lack of reader response. I wouldn't do that to you all. But if it ever takes me longer than usual to post something, assume I've got something going on that is more important. For instance, I'm going on a week long class trip next friday. And we're going to some retreat center in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina. (It's called Kanuga. If you've ever been, please PM me with the ups and downs of this experience because I'm scared to death of it.) I won't even have a cell phone much less a computer so I will not be posting for a week. I know, sad. But I'm going to hate it just as much as you guys. Hehe. Love Always, Mirder**


	4. A Kiss To Her Head, And Her Hand In Mine

**God, it's been a while, hasn't it. See, THIS is why I don't do chapter fics. I do oneshots. And I do companions. But not chapter fics. And do you know why? Because I lose focus. ;] But I'm back and hopefully better. So here we go. Also, I know that you all will probably hate me for this one. Hell, I hate me for this one. But it was really bugging me and I couldn't let it go. I'm sowwy. :)**

The casket was the finest I had ever seen. Max would have thought it was unnecessary for such measures to be taken. He'd probably something about simplicity. But I knew Bones wanted him to have the best, even if she'd never admit it. It spoke to me, the way she knew she should do this. It wasn't the same as her paying for a victim's funeral; it was different when it was her own father. It was different when she knew that it wouldn't be the same.

As they lowered Max into the ground, I heard a small whimper from the space next to me. I wrapped my arm around Bones and kissed the top of her head. She didn't protest, nor did she throw my ass onto the grass like she would have seven years ago. She just sagged into my arms, letting somebody else carry the burden of the world for once. I had to apologize to Max and God, then. Because it's never proper to be happy at a funeral.

Her tears stained the white material of my shirt, and I whispered in her ear. "C'mon, Bones. Time to get you home."

She nodded, and I led her back to the car. I hadn't let her drive, today of all days.

It was a quiet drive home. I didn't say anything; I simply took her hand in mine and smoothed small, soothing circles on the back of her hand.

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed each finger, before returning for the diamond on her middle finger. I smiled at her and whispered, "We're going to make it, Bones. I love you."

**I know. He didn't actually ask…But…that's where the muse took me. :) Love Always, Mirder**


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